The UK’s IT industry is booming, but who are the movers and shakers that are actually making things happen? We take a look at five of the leading figures in the sector and what they are doing that makes them so important.

1. Simon Segars – ARM chief executive

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ARM is one of the very best British IT companies and Mr Segars is its new leader. A while back it was announced that he will be taking over from Warren East who was ranked first on Computer Weekly’s UKtech 50 2012, which charts the most important individuals in British IT, and came in second on the 2011 list.

ARM designs chips that are reportedly used in 95 per cent of the world’s smartphones, which is an incredibly impressive statistic. It’s highly likely that you own a device that uses ARM technology and the company looks set for a bright future under its new leadership.

2. Iain Lobban – GCHQ director

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Iain Lobban is the head of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), which is an intelligence organisation that protects the UK’s national security interests. With the growing threat posed by cyber-attacks, Mr Lobban is going to be a key player in ensuring British organisations keep their data and computer systems safe and secure.

A report by Deloitte found that more than four million Brits fell victim to online crime in 2012, so Mr Lobban clearly has a lot of work on his hands.

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3. Mike Bracken – Government Digital Service director

Mike Bracken is tasked with making the government’s online presence work. It’s his job to turn Westminster digital so it can fulfil the needs of an increasingly tech savvy population.

His team created the GOV.UK website, which aims to provide a single, easy to use domain for government information and services.

4. Jane Moran – Thomas Reuters chief information officer

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Ms Moran is proof that women can also reach the top in the IT industry. She is the highest ranking female in the UKtech 50 for 2012 and is a keen advocate of women in the industry.

She has been with Thomas Reuters since 2002 and has an extensive amount of prior experience in the technology sector.

5. Michael Gove – secretary of state for education

A politician who is in charge of the nation’s schools might not seem like an obvious candidate for this list, but he could have a large bearing on the future of IT in the UK.

The standard of IT teaching in schools is widely regarded as below par and Mr Gove has the potential to change this.

Numerous sources have forecasted IT skills shortages in the near future and his actions could have a large bearing on whether this comes to pass.

If you’ve got aspirations of becoming a leading figure in the IT industry like the people listed above, Computeach can help you get started.

As the IT sector continues to grow in importance, it’s also becoming increasingly competitive and it’s crucial to be able to stand out from the crowd. Computeach’s IT courses provide you with globally-recognised certifications that can help you get a foot on the career ladder and start working your way towards the top.